The King

Where go you, my friend?

You're crawling in the wrong direction.

That wind you feel is coming from England.

Scotland's that way.

- -

- -

My lords.

I'm most sorry for making you wait.

I know you've traveled far and from great travail.

I pray you will know that this time of civil unrest...

consumes me...

day and night.

I understand...

battle with the rebel Scots was hard fought.

It was, my liege.

-We lost some 300 men. -

-Amen. - Amen.

Good Hotspur...

you led the charge.

Were any prisoners of note taken?

Many.

-Are they in train? -No.

And why is that? Why have they not been brought to me directly?

Why will you not pay cousin Mortimer's ransom?

You'll need to speak up, my boy.

I'm an old man.

My ears...

are filled with hair.

Cousin Mortimer is held by the rebels of Wales.

Why do you refuse to pay his ransom?

I refuse to pay Mortimer's ransom

because I refuse to believe him a prisoner.

I rather believe Mortimer a traitor.

He has joined the Welsh rebels.

He has betrayed England and is now an enemy of mine,

and, therefore, of yours.

You agree with my précis, young Hotspur?

-No. - My son--

I believe yours to be the ramblings of a crazy old demon.

Harry, please, stop this.

Oh, no, let him speak.

-I wish to hear him. - My liege--

Yours are the ramblings of an old man so saturated with malice and mistrust

that he no longer knows up from down,

can no longer see beyond the walls of his own monstrous schloss.

My family have served you.

We aided you in your ascension, and still we fight for you.

Cousin Mortimer has fought for you.

And yet, now, whilst you slobber over that chicken's wing,

he shivers in a western prison

awaiting mutilation at the hands of Welsh witches.

My liege...

you must excuse my son.

He needs rest.

We come only...

to advocate for your help in securing Mortimer's release.

All that we've done for you we have done for the good of England.

But our lands are now more riven with war than ever before.

The Scots aren't finished. The Welsh have only just begun.

And for what?

Why do you think this might be, old man?

Who do you imagine might be to blame for this?

Chickens can't fly.

But I've seen one...

eke enough wing flap to clear a fence.

Then it's free.

But then so too are the foxes.

You are right, young Percy. I owe you much.

I owe your family still more.

But if the Scottish traitors you've taken prisoner

are not brought to me as speedily as they might travel,

I will hang you by your fucking neck.

Has this been heard, young Percy?

Your Majesty, please forgive us.

What a venomous boy.

He'll betray me now. I'm sure of it.

If only he were my son.

Hal.

Mm.

- -

Hal?

Hal.

- -

- -What is it?

Falstaff has injured hisself.

Yeah. See?

-How did you get inside? - The door was ajar.

It was not.

Yes, it was. It was ajar.

It was not ajar.

Well, how else might we gain entry?

Are you accusing me of having cut myself a secret key?

Yes.

Falstaff has injured hisself, Hal. Will you perform the small repairs?

No.

Oh, no.

Your Highness.

There's a fresh coin in this for you, you know.

I don't want your coin.

I will require your undiminished loyalty from here till Megiddo.

You have that already.

You're a soft negotiator.

Hey! You're wasting good wine.

-I'm keeping it clean. -Give it.

Oh. That looks very hot.

Do it.

Ow!

- -

- -

Prince Henry.

Who are you?

We come from the royal court. We wish to speak with you privately.

For what?

Please, sire. Privately.

Oh, privately, in the middle of Eastcheap?

Should I make a quick up and down and request a mass covering of ears?

Please, sire.

What is this?

Your father, His Majesty King--

Your father, His Majesty King Henry, is ill.

He requests your presence.

Hmm. I suggest you return to the palace directly

and tell him his request was wholly ignored.

I've been instructed to deliver the request with great urgency.

You might tell him the urgency was also wholly ignored.

- -

My lady.

My lady, it's time to leave.

-Why? -

The day has begun. See?

-Out there. -

It is well underway.

- -You might miss it.

Get up now. It's important that you leave.

-Up. That's the spirit. -

Right.

Now, lift your arms.

Very good.

You must get that door fixed.

What is it?

Visit with your father.

Go away.

If your father is indeed

gravely ill enough to request your presence,

then you must visit with him.

It should be better to regret having done so than it would to have not.

If your father is ill,

no matter your feelings for him, you must visit with him.

But...

I say this not out of concern for our king's well-being,

but more for fear of the drunken soak to which you'll be likely to succumb

should you fail to heed his call and he were to die

without you having squared your ledger.

I fear that would be soak enough to put even me to shame.

Do it.

If nothing else I ever suggest.

While I see the strain your treasury is under,